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11.12.2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
VANCIL AND ROMINE SET UP CHAMPIONSHIP SHOWDOWN FOR
NITRO TOP FUEL AT SEASON FINALE
Tonglet is Perfect 8-0 in Destroyer Finals
POMONA, Calif. (Nov. 12, 2007) - The race for the
2007 AHDRA Screamin' Eagle Championship series crown in Nitro Top Fuel
just got tighter in Southern California over the weekend.
Doug Vancil beat Mike Romine in the final of the
California Bike Week Nationals presented by Laidlaw's Harley-Davidson at
Auto Club Raceway on Saturday. The win - at the 11th of 12 2007 national
events - was especially important for Vancil.
Not only did it give Vancil his second win in four
final rounds this season, but it also revenged a runner-up to Romine in
Rockingham, N.C. in October. Even more importantly, it set up a season
finale showdown for the Nitro crown at this weekend's season finale Rush
Las Vegas Nationals, Nov. 15-18.
Takeshi Shigematsu held a 23-point lead over Vancil
going into the Pomona event. Shigematsu was the No. 1 qualifier of the
event with a category-best 6.37-second run, but he lost in the second
round, allowing Vancil to take over the points lead. Vancil now has a
33-point cushion going into the final race. The season finale will also
play host to the annual Screamin' Eagle Las Vegas High Stakes Shootout -
worth $12,000 to the winner.
Vancil beat Romine with a 6.340 run at 218.48 to
cover Romine's 6.429 at 212.23. It was Romine's second trip to the finals
and first runner-up of the season.
L.E. Tonglet remained perfect in Destroyer category
final rounds. The New Orleans native has earned eight Destroyer wins this
season en route to his first career Destroyer championship. Tonglet
recorded a 9.256 at 141.56 to beat Ronnie Fensick's 9.368 at 141.43. It
was Fensick's second runner-up of the season.
Gene Thomason earned the No. 1 qualifying position
in Destroyer with a 9.268 run while Tonglet was second (9.268, Thomason
had a higher mph). Douglas Horne was third with a 9.291 while Fensick was
fifth in qualifying with a 9.325.
Dean Druschel earned his first Screamin' Eagle
Performance (SEP) victory of the season. Druschel beat Dan Norlin - a
four-time finalist this season - with an 11.641. Norlin recorded an 11.642
for his second runner-up finish of the season.
Kevin Winters was the No. 1 qualifier in SEP action
with an 11.507, followed by Stan Sheppard's 11.515 and Joey Talbott's
11.526. Norlin was ninth in qualifying while Druschel qualified 11th.
Wayne Pugh earned his first win of the season in ET
racing by beating Chip Sutinen in the final round. Pugh used a 9.717 run
to beat Sutinen's 11.717.
The next and final AHDRA event of the season is the
Las Vegas Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Nov. 15-18.
The seventh annual Screamin' Eagle Las Vegas High Stakes Shootout - worth
$12,000 to the winner along with numerous other prizes - will be held on
Nov. 16.
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